title: Protective effects of melatonin against formaldehyde-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat testes: an immunohistochemical and biochemical study.
abstract: This study investigated the protective effects of melatonin against formaldehyde-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat testes. A total of 21 male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Group I was used as a control, Group II was injected every other day with formaldehyde for 1 month, whereas Group III was injected every other day with formaldehyde and melatonin for 1 month. At the end of the experimental period animals were sacrificed and the testes removed and dissected from the surrounding tissues for immunohistochemical evaluation. In addition, the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined. The levels of SOD and GSH-Px decreased significantly, whereas the level of MDA significantly increased in animals treated with formaldehyde compared with the controls. Apoptosis of spermatogenetic and Leydig cells of testicular tissues was observed. In contrast, rats with melatonin SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activity increased whereas MDA levels decreased with formaldehyde exposure along with apoptosis. In view of the present findings, it is suggested that melatonin treatment may prevent formaldehyde-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat testes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyon, Turkey. oaslano@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Oguz Aslan
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: Murat A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kus
authors.forename: Ilter
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kus
authors.forename: Ozan Alper
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Alkoc
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Songur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000633:toxicity*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005557:Formaldehyde; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D008550:Melatonin